The Civil War: the first year told by those who lived it

Calling a Secession Convention, November 1860. What Shall the South Carolina Legislature Do? November 3, 1860 / Charleston Mercury

"Alarms from the South" : Illinois, November 1860. Memoranda Regarding Abraham Lincoln, November 5-6, 1860 / John G. Nicolay

The Threat of Secession, November 1860. Going to Go, November 9, 1860 / New-York Daily Tribune

The Need for Southern Cooperation, November 1860 / Jefferson Davis to Robert Barnwell Rhett Jr., November 10, 1860

Debating Secession, Georgia, November 1860. Speech at Milledgeville, November 15, 1860 / Benjamin Hill

"States cannot exist disunited," November 1860. The Right of States to Secede, November 16, 1860 / New York Daily News

"I am for the Union as it is," Texas, November 1860 / Sam Houston to H.M. Watkins and Others, November 20, 1860

"Our sore national sickness : New York, November 1860. Diary, November 20, November 26-December 1, 1860 / George Templeton Strong

"This dangerous game" : Missouri, November 1860. Diary, November 22, 1860 / Edward Bates

The "Wicked Spirit" of Secession : Tennessee, November 1860 / William G. Brownlow to R.H. Appleton, November 29, 1860

Lincoln, and Slavery : December 1860. The Late Election, December 1860 / Frederick Douglass

Secessionism in Louisiana, December 1860. William T. Sherman to Thomas Ewing Sr. and to John Sherman, December 1, 1860

Washington, D.C., December 1860. From the Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1860 / James Buchanan

The Benefits of Slavery : December 1860. The Non-Slaveholders of the South, December 5, 1860 / J.D.B. DeBow

Advocating Secession : Georgia, December 1860 / Joseph E. Brown to Alfred H. Colquitt and Others, December 7, 1860

Restating Positions on Slavery : December 1860 / Abraham Lincoln to John A. Gilmer, December 15, 1860

Rejecting Coercion : December 1860. The Right of Secession, December 17, 1860 / New-York Daily Tribune

"I stand by the Union" : December 1860. Remarks in the U.S. Senate, December 17, 1860 / Benjamin F. Wade

A Compromise over Slavery, December 1860. Remarks in the U.S. Senate, December 18, 1860 / John J. Crittenden

"Meanness and rascality" : Washington, D.C., December 1860 / Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams Jr., December 18-20, 1860

A Confidential Message : Illinois, December 1860. Memorandum Regarding Abraham Lincoln, December 22, 1860 / John G. Nicolay

Charleston, December 1860. South Carolina Declaration of the Causes of Secession, December 24, 1860

Occupying Fort Sumter : South Carolina, December 1860. From Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61 / Abner Doubleday

"A terrible revulsion of feeling" : South Carolina, December 1860. Diary, December 26-27, 1860 / Catherine Edmondston

Urging Kentucky to Secede: December 1860 / Stephen F. Hale to Beriah Magoffin, December 27, 1860

"The tempest bursting" : 1860. Misgivings / Herman Melville

"Sad foreboding": Georgia, January 1861 / Mary Jones to Charles C. Jones Jr., January 3, 1861

"All depends on Virginia" : Washington, D.C., January 1861 / Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams Jr., January 8, 1861

Jackson, January 1861. Mississippi Declaration of the Causes of Secession, January 9, 1861

"A warlike aspect." Washington, D.C., January 1861 / Elizabeth Blair Lee to Samuel Phillips Lee

The "Star of the West" : South Carolina, January 1861. Diary, January 9-13, 1861 / Catherine Edmondston

Washington, D.C., January 1861. Farewell Address in the U.S. Senate, January 21, 1861 / Jefferson Davis

The Evils of Anarchy and Civil War: January 1861 / Robert E. Lee to George Washington Custis Lee, January 23, 1861

Montgomery, Alabama, February 1861. Inaugural Address, February 18, 1861 / Jefferson Davis

Hopes for Lincoln's Administration: March 1861. The New President, March 1861 / Frederick Douglass

Washington, D.C., March 1861. First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861 / Abraham Lincoln

"That wretch Abraham Lincoln" : North Carolina, March 1861. Diary, March 4, 1861 / Catherine Edmondston

Vindicating Slavery: Georgia, March 1861. "Corner-Stone" Speech, March 21, 1861 / Alexander H. Stephens

Relieving Fort Sumter: Washington, D.C., March-April 1861. Diary, March 9-April 8, 1861 / Edward Bates

Seward and Fort Sumter: Washington, D.C. March 1861. Memoir of Events, March 1861 / Gideon Welles

Challenging Lincoln: Washington, D.C., April 1861. Memorandum for the President, April 1, 1861 / William H. Seward

"I must do it": Washington, D.C., April 1861 / Abraham Lincoln to William H. Seward, April 1, 1861

The War Begins: South Carolina, April 1861. Diary, April 7-15, 1861 / Mary Chesnut

Bombardment and Surrender: South Carolina, April 1861. From Reminiscences of Forts Sumter and Moultrie in 1860-'61 / Abner Doubleday

New Yorkers Respond : April 1861. Diary, April 13-16, 1861 / George Templeton Strong

Vindicating National Honor: April 1861. The People and the Issue, April 15, 1861 / The New York Times

Fighting "the mad rebellion": April 1861. The War Begun-The Duty of American Citizens, April 15, 1861 / Pittsburgh Post

Celebration in Charleston: South Carolina, April 1861. From My Diary North and South, April 17, 1861 / William Howard Russell

"Infidel" Enemies : Georgia, April 1861 / Charles C. Jones Sr. to Charles C. Jones Jr., April 20, 1861

Secessionism in Richmond: Virginia, April 1861. Diary, April 15-22, 1861 / John B. Jones

The Baltimore Riot: April 1861. From Historical Sketch of the Old Sixth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers / John W. Hanson

"I have but one sentiment now": Illinois, April 1861 / Ulysses S. Grant to Frederick Dent, April 19, 1861, and to Jesse Root Grant, April 21, 1861

Montgomery, Alabama, April 1861. Message to the Confederate Congress, April 29, 1861 / Jefferson Davis

"Strike down slavery itself": May 1861. How to End the War, May 1861 / Frederick Douglass

New York, Spring 1861. First O Songs for a Prelude / Walt Whitman

A Strategic Plan : May 1861 / Winfield Scott to George B. McClellan, May 3, 1861

Life in Army Camp : Michigan, May 1861. Diary, May 3-12, 1861 / Charles B. Haydon

Predicting a Short War: May 1861 / Ulysses S. Grant to Jesse Root Grant, May 6, 1861

Life in the Executive Mansion : Washington, D.C., May 1861 / John Hay : Diary, May 7-10, 1861

Fearing Attack in Alexandria : Virginia, May 1861. Diary, May 10, 1861 / Judith W. McGuire

Rioting in St. Louis : Missouri, May 1861 / William T. Sherman to John Sherman, May 11, 1861

Slaves Seeking Freedom: Virginia, May 1861 / Benjamin F. Butler to Winfield Scott, May 24, 1861

Defining Runaway Slaves : Virginia, May 1861. General Butler and the Contraband of War, June 2, 1861 / The New York Times

"Our Cause is just" : Louisiana, May 1861. Journal, May 15-27, 1861 / Kate Stone

A Visit to Washington : May-June 1861. Diary, May 29-June 2, 1861 / George Templeton Strong

Massachusetts, May 1861 : John Brown's Body, May 1861

The Writ of Habeas Corpus : Maryland, May 1861. Opinion in Ex parte Merryman, June 1, 1861 / Roger B. Taney

"I rejoice in this war" : Virginia, June 1861. Speech at Richmond, June 1, 1861 / Henry A. Wise

The "blinded, fanatical" North: Georgia, June 1861 / Charles C. Jones Jr. to Charles C. Jones Sr. and Mary Jones, June 10, 1861

Anglo-American Relations : London, June 1861 / Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams Jr., June 10-11, 1861

Cherokee Neutrality : Indian Territory, June 1861 / John Ross to Benjamin McCulloch, June 17, 1861

Emancipating Northern Opinion : June 1861. The Pickens-and-Stealin's Rebellion, June 1861 / James Russell Lowell

Washington, D.C., July 1861. Message to Congress in Special Session, July 4, 1861 / Abraham Lincoln

An Unobserved Holiday: Louisiana, July 1861. Journal, July 4, 1861 / Kate Stone

Facing the Enemy: Missouri, July 1861. From Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant / Ulysses S. Grant

Defeats in Western Virginia: July 1861. From Richmond During the War / Sallie Brock

A Farewell Letter : July 1861 / Sullivan Ballou to Sarah Ballou, July 14, 1861

Battle of Manassas : Virginia, July 1861. From Letters from Lee's Army / Charles Minor Blackford

The Union Army Retreats : Virginia, July 1861. From My Diary North and South / William Howard Russell

"Death and confusion everywhere" : Virginia, July 1861 / Samuel J. English to his Mother, July 24, 1861

News of Manassas : South Carolina, July 1861. Diary, July 22-23, 1861 / Emma Holmes

Straggling Soldiers: Washington, D.C., July 1861 / Elizabeth Blair Lee to Samuel Phillips Lee, July 23, 1861

"A terrible shock": Washington, D.C., July 1861. From Specimen Days / Walt Whitman

Washington, D.C., July 1861. Memoranda on Military Policy, July 23, 1861 / Abraham Lincoln

Celebrating Victory : Virginia, July 1861. Diary, July 24, 1861 / Mary Chesnut

Noninterference with Slavery: July 1861. Crittenden-Johnson Resolutions, July 22-25, 1861

Assuming Command: Washington, D.C., July 1861 / George B. McClellan to Mary Ellen McClellan, July 27, 1861

"Our men are not good Soldiers" : July 1861 / William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, July 28, 1861

"Our late awful disaster": July 1861 / Horace Greeley to Abraham Lincoln, July 29, 1861

Washington, D.C., August 1861. Memorandum for the President, August 2, 1861 / George B. McClellan

A Measure Against Slavery: August 1861. Confiscation Act, August 6, 1861

"The Presdt is an idiot": August 1861 / George B. McClellan to Mary Ellen McClellan, August 8, 9, and 16, 1861

Battle of Wilson's Creek : Missouri, August 1861. From The Lyon Campaign in Missouri / E. F. Ware

Confederate Artillery at Wilson's Creek : Missouri, August 1861. From With the Light Guns in '61-'65 / W. E. Woodruff

Freeing the Slaves of Rebels: Missouri, August 1861. Proclamation, August 30, 1861 / John C. Frémont

Modifying a Proclamation : September 1861 / Abraham Lincoln to John C. Frémont, September 2, 1861

The Need for Black Soldiers: September 1861. Fighting Rebels with Only One Hand, September 1861 / Frederick Douglass

Revoking Frémont's Proclamation: September 1861 / Abraham Lincoln to Orville H. Browning, September 22, 1861

A Cherokee-Confederate Alliance: Indian Territory, October 1861. Message to the National Council, October 9, 1861 / John Ross

Battle of Ball's Bluff: Virginia, October 1861 / Henry Livermore Abbott to Josiah Gardner Abbott, October 22, 1861

Replacing Winfield Scott: October 1861 / George B. McClellan to Mary Ellen McClellan, October 25, 26, 30, and 31, 1861

"I am tired of incompetents": November 1861 / Charles Francis Adams Jr. to Henry Adams, November 5, 1861

Preparing for the Next Battle : November 1861 / George B. McClellan to Samuel L. M. Barlow, November 8, 1861

Battle of Belmont: Missouri, November 1861 / Ulysses S. Grant to Jesse Root Grant, November 8, 1861

A Doctor at Belmont : Missouri, November 1861 / Lunsford P. Yandell Jr. to Lunsford Yandell Sr., November 10, 1861

The Capture of Port Royal : South Carolina, November 1861 / Samuel Francis Du Pont to Sophie Du Pont, November 13-15, 1861

A Former Slave Remembers : South Carolina, November 1861. Narrative of the capture of the Sea Islands, November 1861 / Sam Mitchell

A Confederate Sermon : Georgia, November 1861. God in the War, November 15, 1861 / Henry Tucker

Richmond, Virginia, November 1861. Message to the Confederate Congress, November 18, 1861 / Jefferson Davis

The Army of the Potomac : Virginia, November 1861. The Great Review / Harper's Weekly

Slavery and the Press: November 1861 / Ulysses S. Grant to Jesse Root Grant, November 27, 1861

Shortages and Inflation : Virginia, Autumn 1861. From Richmond During the War / Sallie Brock

The "Trent" Affair : London, November-December 1861. Journal, November 27-December 3, 1861 / Benjamin Moran

War with England : London, November 1861 / Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams Jr., November 30, 1861

Washington, D.C., December 1861. Annual Message to Congress, December 3, 1861 / Abraham Lincoln

Preparing to Enlist : Boston, December 1861 / Charles Francis Adams Jr. to Henry Adams, December 10, 1861

A Song of the Contrabands : Virginia, 1861. Let My People Go

Not Relying on Foreign Aid : December 1861 / Robert E. Lee to George Washington Custis Lee, December 29, 1861

The President's Duty to Act : Washington, D.C., December 1861. Diary, December 31, 1861 / Edward Bates

Lincoln and McClellan : Washington, D.C., January 1862. Memorandum, January 10-13, 1862 / Irwin McDowell

"The bottom is out of the tub" : Washington, D.C., January 1862. Memoir of Meetings with President Lincoln, January 10-13, 1862 / Montgomery C. Meigs

"This army has got to fight" : January 1862 / Edwin M. Stanton to Charles A. Dana, January 24, 1862.